When Khara was about to lunge to the forefront of Rama, one of his remaining commanders named Trishira (so called because he had three heads) interrupted him and told him "Please, Sir, give me the honour for vanquishing, crushing and killing that human Rama in combat.
Comment.
The spirit of subordinates in those days is illustrated here. A junior ranker did not allow any higher ups to do any hard work (including fighting against a very competent warrior). In Maha Bharata war, when Duryodhana himself wanted to deal with Arjuna, Ashvatthaama held him back saying: mayi jiivati gaandhaare na yuddham kartum arhasi ... aham aavaara iSyaami paartham tiSTa suyodhana... 'when I am alive you are not supposed to combat, I will take over Arjuna, you stay back, oh, Suyodhana (an alias of Duryodhana)...'
End Comment.
"Taking oath on my weapon I promise you that I truly will kill this Rama. Hold back your combative adventurism and become a spectator and watch that I am going to become the cause of his death in this combat. You may then return to Janasthaana happily and victoriously.
"If, by any quirk of luck Rama kills me then you can, yourself do the killing of that human."
Khara permitted Trishira to confront and kill Rama.
Trishira with a lustrous chariot that was yoked with equally lustrous horses rolled towards Rama. Even before reaching the vicinity of Rama the brave Trishira was shooting very powerful arrows like a hefty arrow cloud, roaring war cries like the thudding drumbeat when a water-wet war-drum is beaten, rather than a blast from a heated drum. Rama, on the other hand simply welcomed him by shooting smarting arrows from his bow. That grave and tumultuous encounter between Rama and Trishira looked like the extremely forceful encounter between a lion and an elephant.
When Trishira smote on the forehead of Rama with three very powerful arrows, Rama Rama told that rakshasha "Oh! I like your perseverance with an energy of a triumphing adventurer. Your arrows hit my forehead peripherally, like flowers! Now you experience my arrows." Then Rama with his alacritous swiftness hit the chest of Trishira with fourteen arrows similar to venomous snakes. With four straight shooting arrows that had hook-like barbs, Rama hewed down four of the speedy horses of Trishira's chariot. With eight arrows Rama felled the charioteer from his seat on the chariot, and with one arrow ripped off the high flying flag on that chariot.
When that nightwalker (as all rakshashas were fond of moving around during night, they are referred to as 'nightwalkers) was vaulting from that smashed chariot Rama with his arrows tore his chest to shreds. And with three sharp and rapid arrows, Rama rolled all the three heads of that rakshasha. That nightwalker collapsed spewing blood with fumes from all his three severed heads.
Like deer alarmed by a tiger, the remaining rakshashas, whom Khara had protected so far and whose confidence was now shattered, were running away. Khara, however scurried towards Rama alone dauntlessly .
Sarga 27
===============================================================
Comment.
The spirit of subordinates in those days is illustrated here. A junior ranker did not allow any higher ups to do any hard work (including fighting against a very competent warrior). In Maha Bharata war, when Duryodhana himself wanted to deal with Arjuna, Ashvatthaama held him back saying: mayi jiivati gaandhaare na yuddham kartum arhasi ... aham aavaara iSyaami paartham tiSTa suyodhana... 'when I am alive you are not supposed to combat, I will take over Arjuna, you stay back, oh, Suyodhana (an alias of Duryodhana)...'
End Comment.
"Taking oath on my weapon I promise you that I truly will kill this Rama. Hold back your combative adventurism and become a spectator and watch that I am going to become the cause of his death in this combat. You may then return to Janasthaana happily and victoriously.
"If, by any quirk of luck Rama kills me then you can, yourself do the killing of that human."
Khara permitted Trishira to confront and kill Rama.
Trishira with a lustrous chariot that was yoked with equally lustrous horses rolled towards Rama. Even before reaching the vicinity of Rama the brave Trishira was shooting very powerful arrows like a hefty arrow cloud, roaring war cries like the thudding drumbeat when a water-wet war-drum is beaten, rather than a blast from a heated drum. Rama, on the other hand simply welcomed him by shooting smarting arrows from his bow. That grave and tumultuous encounter between Rama and Trishira looked like the extremely forceful encounter between a lion and an elephant.
When Trishira smote on the forehead of Rama with three very powerful arrows, Rama Rama told that rakshasha "Oh! I like your perseverance with an energy of a triumphing adventurer. Your arrows hit my forehead peripherally, like flowers! Now you experience my arrows." Then Rama with his alacritous swiftness hit the chest of Trishira with fourteen arrows similar to venomous snakes. With four straight shooting arrows that had hook-like barbs, Rama hewed down four of the speedy horses of Trishira's chariot. With eight arrows Rama felled the charioteer from his seat on the chariot, and with one arrow ripped off the high flying flag on that chariot.
When that nightwalker (as all rakshashas were fond of moving around during night, they are referred to as 'nightwalkers) was vaulting from that smashed chariot Rama with his arrows tore his chest to shreds. And with three sharp and rapid arrows, Rama rolled all the three heads of that rakshasha. That nightwalker collapsed spewing blood with fumes from all his three severed heads.
Like deer alarmed by a tiger, the remaining rakshashas, whom Khara had protected so far and whose confidence was now shattered, were running away. Khara, however scurried towards Rama alone dauntlessly .
===============================================================
No comments:
Post a Comment